The Year in News: Part 2

__ OCTOBER __

__ RADIOHEAD UNLEASH * IN RAIBOWS * __

At 12 a.m. GMT on Monday, October 1, the world changed forever. Peace on earth was achieved, a cure for cancer was discovered, global warming reversed itself. And the entire music industry as we know it ceased to exist.

Many a head was scratched when the reunited Wu-Tang Clan announced that they had procured the __ world's first authorized Beatles sample __ for their first album since 2001, __ * 8 Diagrams * __ . But that mystery was short-lived, as the Wu quickly corrected themselves: They had merely __ interpolated __ "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" for a song called "The Heart Gently Weeps". More head-scratching ensued when they announced that the song would also somehow feature contributions from George Harrison's son Dhani, Erykah Badu, and, um, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' John Frusciante.

Network television is one of the last places on earth that we'd expect to find Richard D. James, but his presence was felt on the September 29 episode of NBC's "Saturday Night Live". Andy Samberg's digital short masterwork "Iran So Far" __ featured Aphex Twin's "Avril 14th" __ as the base for its lilting love song to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, but the sample apparently wasn't cleared before the broadcast. The video was subsequently removed from NBC's website and YouTube channel.

Coincidentally, "Iran So Far" was also the best Aphex Twin track in years.

Thomas didn't take the verdict lying down, __ launching a website __ to raise money for her cause. In November, she filed a motion to reduce her fine; in early December, the Department of Justice supported the court's initial decision.

Pay attention, people. The future of file-sharing just might lie with this woman's fate.
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A few days later, several leaked tracks from Walla's album appeared on Off the Che(a)rts, the mp3 blog run by Michael Chertoff, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. "This stuff is OK-- no * Transatlanticism * or anything," Chertoff wrote. "Wait until you guys hear the new Postal Service record though! I happen to have gotten my hands on it, but I'm saving it for a slow news day."
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__ OiNK SQUEALS NO MORE __

On October 23, the invitation-only torrent-sharing network OiNK, known for its high standards of quality and strict rules, was __ shut down by British and Dutch police __ . The home and place of work of the network's founder, Alan Ellis, were raided, and its servers were seized. Indie rock junkies fiending for a constant hit of illegal music wept. Anti-piracy advocates cheered.